Bandai Namco has released new information and screenshots of Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet further detailing the ArFA-sys android unit that will accompany the protagonist, and introducing more weapons, as well as some of the skills and gadgets players will have access to.

Get the details below.

■ ArFA-sys

A humanoid android loaded onto the crashed “SBC Fluegel” space ship (different from the SBC Glocken space ship). The protagonist’s ArFA-sys is equipped with a particularly rare, “Type-X” artificial intelligence. It can think and take action on its own, and provide a variety of support.

Because an ArFA-sys cannot become stronger than its master, the ArFA-sys newbie protagonist is the master of is less than a newbie—it is a “piece of junk.” However, the ArFA-sys will transform beyond expectation depending on the growth of the protagonist. The ArFA-sys’ appearance and gender can be freely customized by the protagonist to their liking.

Also, in order to progress the story, there are quests where you cannot advance unless you take your ArFA-sys along. The protagonist and ArFA-sys will grow together while being forced to make “decisions.”

◆ The Four Functions of an ArFA-sys

You can talk to your ArFA-sys in your room, and depending on the progress of the story, you can make use of special functionalities.

Money Management System

Your ArFA-sys will automatically receive the money you acquired in battle, and invest that money in order to increase it. You can also set what percent of money will be deposited and and at what rate of interest it will be invested. Aim to become rich!

—You can transfer your spending money to your ArFA-sys. What will they use the money for?

AI Settings

You can set the actions your ArFA-sys takes in battle. Whether you want a warlike fighter or an ArFA-sys that prioritizes recovery, you can create an ArFA-sys AI all your own.

Coordination

The player—the ArFA-sys’ master—can change the color of the ArFA-sys’ equipment. In addition to clothes, even accessories and weapons can be colored.

Emotion Settings

You can set the emotional expressions of your ArFA-sys. Your ArFA-sys will react with a wealth of emotions, such as when you meet a friend, during battle, and when you clear a quest.

—You can choose from “Simple Settings” and “Detailed Settings” when setting emotions.

■ Weapons Overview

Sub Machine Gun

Recommended range: short and middle distance.

The lightweight and easy to handle sub machine gun. It is powerful and can load up a lot of ammunition. It is a good weapon that is overall balanced. Scatter bullets to shower enemies in a merciless attack.

—Mid-Fire

—Optics

Gatling Gun

Recommended range: middle and long distance.

Since the Gatling gun is a heavyweight-class weapon, caution is required as your weight will be over carrying capacity when it is equipped. It can launch a concentrated attack on enemies with rapid-fire speed from middle and long distances.

—Mid-Fire

—Optics

Grenade Launcher

Recommended range: middle and long distance.

Since grenades are thrown with a curve, you can attack from long distances while utilizing cover. And since the grenade generates a blast attack to its surroundings upon impact, it is effective on big enemies and dense fields.

—Mid-Fire

—Optics

■ Skills Overview

◆ Skill Settings

Skills can be acquired by using SP (Skill Points). There are also request statuses for acquiring skills. Skills can be set for each weapon. There are skills that can be used across weapon types, as well as unique skills that are exclusive to certain weapon types.

◆ Attack-Type Skills

This section is an introduction to some skills that can deal big damage to the enemy, including rapid-fire skills, ram attack skills, and sword skills.

Quick Shot

Supported Weapon: Hand Gun

Continuously fires bullets at a nearby enemy.

Gun Sting

Supported Weapons: Shotgun / Assault Rifle

Performs a high-speed rush towards the target, and adds on a shooting attack if it hits.

Horizontal Square

Supported Weapons: Sword / Gun & Sword

After unleashing four consecutive sword attacks at the target, mows down a wide range with a square shockwave.

◆ Buff-Style Skills

This section is an introduction to some skills that can provide buffs, such as strengthening your own defense and attack power, or healing your comrades.

Shield Matrix

Supported Weapons: All Weapon Types

You cannot move while using this, but you will not receive damage. The amount of time it lasts can be extended by long-pressing the button.

Healing Area Bullet

Supported Weapons: All Weapons Except Swords

Generates a recovery area at the site of impact, and allies who touch the area will recover HP.

◆ Debuff-Style Skills

This section is an introduction to some skills that can inflict status ailments on the enemy, including blaze, stun, and poison.

Fires a special bullet that generates a poison area at the impact site, and inflicts an abnormal poison state accumulation effect on the enemies it touched.

Gravity Field Generator Bullet

Supported Weapons: Gatling Gun / Launcher

Fires a special bullet that generates a gravity field that sucks in enemies at the impact site.

■ Gadgets Overview

◆ What are gadgets?

There are palettes to use gadgets on the screen, and up to four can be set to take into battle. Gadgets are not just limited to grenades and land mines—they cover all grounds, including throwing knives and recovery kits. More powerful gadgets require higher stat values for DEX and such.

Frag Grenade

Throws “a grenade that explodes in about three seconds after throwing” in a parabolic orbit. It is extremely effective against humanoid enemies and enemy players, and is also a good countermeasure against the harder parts of monsters.

Smoke Grenade

Throws “a smoke grenade that generates a smoke field that obstructs the field of vision three seconds after throwing” in a parabolic orbit. While it does not have power to deal damage, it is useful in many circumstances, such as to evade enemy attacks, to distract the enemy, or to send a signal.

Emergency Care Kit

Increases HP recovery power for a fixed period of time. Unlike skill recovery bullets, it does not recover HP all at once, but rather gradually within the effect period.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is due out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on February 8 in Japan, and February 23 in the Americas and Europe.